Huancheng Shen Shen

Capítulo 85

While grumbling about needing to add clothes when it's cold and take them off when it's hot, Song Xiaohua picked up a belt: "Remember this? It's the first gift I made for you by hand. I've kept it as a keepsake at the bottom of a box. I just sewed in a few strands of my hair, Ling'er's hair, Yue'er's hair, and Wuque's long hair, as if we're always with you, accompanying you, and protecting you..."

She bent down and fastened his belt: "I understand, national affairs are more important. But what can I do when my man is so capable? I'd rather he be an eagle soaring in the sky than a little bird cooped up at home all day. So, you truly are my man. Besides, without a country, where would a home be? Look at me, what a noble person I am!"

Lu Ziqi felt a surge of warmth and emotion that spread to every part of his body and to the corners of his eyes. He stretched out his arms and gently embraced her, greedily inhaling the faint fragrance that he was about to part with: "Yaoyao, I'm sorry, I broke my promise. But I will definitely come back soon, because I ate almost half a pot of dumplings just now."

"Then when you come back, you'll have to eat a whole pot of long noodles."

"good."

At this moment, the moon hangs high, a gentle breeze blows, and the candlelight flickers.

The curtains hung low, and the room was filled with an air of ambiguity.

However, that very night, Song Xiaohua resolutely refused Lu Ziqi's offer of sex. Her reason was that only in this way could he keep something in his mind and be able to come back without stopping.

Although Lu Ziqi swore that he would definitely return to his wife's side within three months, Song Xiaohua still adopted a determined attitude, as if she were absolutely certain she would maintain harmony to the end. She even patted his cheek like a wicked old demon, chuckling eerily, "My dear, my sweetheart, as long as you behave, a big surprise awaits you when you come back!"

So all I could do was stare silently at the rooftop, mourning the tadpoles who had died before they even got started, tears welling up in my eyes...

However, later events proved that the words of a cunning man should never be trusted. Because Lu Ziqi's departure lasted for a full two years.

After Li Yuanhao returned, although he quickly regained the throne with the help of the Song court, the Liao Kingdom suddenly launched an attack due to the death of Yelü Ping. The original alliance cracked, and the situation suddenly became delicate. In the gradually forming tripartite balance, each party could only carefully maintain the new equilibrium. The slightest carelessness could lead to a three-way war.

Under such circumstances, the imperial court needed someone who could keep the situation in check and make decisions to handle all affairs in the army. This task naturally and without a doubt fell to Lu Ziqi.

So, being too favored by your boss isn't always a good thing...

By the time everything finally stabilized, it was early autumn two years later.

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Bianjing remained prosperous, the Bian River was still bustling, and the two large stone lions in front of the Lu Mansion were still as majestic as ever.

A man in a black robe paused for a moment in front of the door, then turned and left. He took a path through Anyang Street, then turned into another path. After walking for a short while, he saw a very hidden door.

A slight smile played on her lips as she gave the door a push, but it wouldn't budge. Her brow furrowed slightly, and she was about to try again when, unexpectedly, the door quietly opened from the inside. Her smile deepened, and she stepped aside.

A small head with its hair tied in a topknot peeked out, looked around warily, then shrank back in. In the blink of an eye, it popped out again, holding a tiny baby girl in its arms.

A light pink headband adorned her fine, soft hair; she wore light pink clothes, light pink shoes, a light pink face, and a light pink mouth with a light pink little finger in its mouth.

This chubby, pink-faced baby, about a year old, was nestled in the arms of a three- or four-year-old boy dressed entirely in red from head to toe. His long eyelashes fluttered as he suddenly spotted the man in black standing to the side. His face immediately contorted with disgust: "Second brother, you're a bad guy!"

Red Boy also noticed the man staring intently at him and his sister. A mischievous smirk appeared on his left lip: "Nian'er, let's ignore him! Let me tell you, men are the worst people in the world. You have to be extremely careful, don't let them deceive or bully you. Of course, this doesn't apply to your older brother and me!"

The little girl frowned her delicate eyebrows and covered her ears with both hands: "Annoying!"

"Alright, alright, Second Brother won't say anymore. Nian'er isn't bothered, be good~"

“Nian’er… Yue’er…” The man squatted down, looking at Red Boy at eye level: “Don’t you recognize me?”

The curve of her lips widened: "Nian'er, what should we do?"

"Flatten!" The soft, sweet voice was filled with murderous intent.

Before she could react, everything went black. That small, pink fist, though harmless, still caused a noticeable stinging pain when she was caught off guard.

This little girl is absolutely his daughter, his and Yaoyao's daughter!

So this was the surprise—his daughter, he had another daughter…

"Little brother, you've taken your sister out to play again! If Mom finds out, she'll punish you!" A dog barked, followed by a slightly hurried child's voice.

Red Boy shrugged indifferently and sighed, "We've been betrayed by Wuque again."

The little girl then hung her head and sighed, looking very worried.

A handsome young boy, who looked to be about ten years old, rushed in through the door with a large black dog that resembled a lion. He stopped abruptly when he saw the man in black, looked him over carefully, and was both surprised and delighted. Just as he was about to speak, the large black dog had already pounced on him and swiftly knocked him to the ground...

"Lu Yue, you little rascal, if I don't beat you so badly today that even your own mother wouldn't recognize you, I'll change my surname to yours!"

"You should have had that last name."

A familiar voice rang out from under the big black dog, filled with laughter, causing the young woman who was rushing over while lifting her skirt to come to an abrupt halt as if she had been frozen in place.

The little boy finally realized it and shouted, "Father!"

Red Boy's lips stiffened slightly, his face full of suspicion: "Father?"

The little girl, as always, looked disgusted: "Dad is a man, so I hate him the most!"

The woman, having finally regained her mobility, darted forward a few steps: "Wuque, get out of the way!" Then she leaped and tackled the man, who had just gotten halfway up, back to the ground: "You damned devil, you've finally decided to come back?!"

"Yaoyao, I'm back."

“…Holly, Holly, it really is you, you’ve really come back…”

"It's me, I'm back."

At this moment, the three children who were watching, unaware of what was going on, looked at each other and then said in unison, "Little tadpoles, go into the pond."

Pfft! Pfft, pfft, and I just got used to it...

However, that night, the tadpole was once again met with a merciless rejection.

Because Lu Ziqi was required to read all of Lu Niannian's 'Baby Growth Notes' from the fetus to the present. That's over 700 entries, and there are also nearly 300 more 'Sister's Diary' entries completed jointly by Lu Ling, Lu Yue, and Song Wuque, so in total there are over 1,000 entries. It's estimated that the little tadpole will have to endure at least another three nights of this...

"Yaoyao, Nian'er is the surprise you gave me, isn't she?"

Are you satisfied?

"I'm extremely satisfied! But why didn't you mention it at all in your previous letters home?"

"I already told you it was a surprise after you came back, why did you go back on your word?!"

"Okay, okay, it was my fault. But now that I'm back, I'll definitely spend more time with her and pamper her from now on, so there's no rush to find out about all the little things we missed before, right?"

"Is that so? But if you don't understand her first, you won't be able to get close to Nian'er, because she hates all men except her two older brothers."

"...But I'm her biological father!"

"She doesn't know you. In her eyes, you're just a weird old man with ill intentions!"

"...Then tell me, what exactly do I need to do to get my precious daughter to accept me?"

"You'll understand after reading those diaries."

"I can't wait..."

"Hey! You just can't wait to read the diary, why did you climb into bed?"

"I want to talk to you about our daughter's situation while we're under the covers."

"Hey! You can use a quilt if you want, but why are you taking off your clothes? And why are you helping me take them off? I don't have the habit of sleeping naked!"

"It will develop gradually."

"Ah! Didn't you say you wanted to talk about your daughter? Why..."

"We can chat while we do it."

"Ugh...you lewd and depraved beast..."

The little lamp is blown out, the little curtain is drawn. (I must add a quick note: I finally got to use this phrase that represents all harmony, I'm so happy!)

Serious history related—

In 1032 AD, Li Yuanhao succeeded to the throne.

In 1033 AD, Empress Dowager Liu passed away, and Emperor Renzong of Song assumed personal rule.

In 1038 AD, Li Yuanhao declared himself emperor, establishing the state of Great Xia, historically known as Western Xia.

Between 1039 and 1042 AD, the states of Song and Xia fought three major battles, in which Song lost all three.

Li Yuanhao died in 1048 AD.

Unconventional history related—

Lu Niannian was born in the summer of 1033 AD.

In the autumn of 1034 AD, Lu Niannian met her father for the first time.

In the autumn of 1035 AD, Lu Niannian stopped throwing punches at her father who tried to get close.

In the spring of 1036 AD, Lu Niannian stopped frowning at her father's attempts to get closer.

In the autumn of 1037 AD, Lu Niannian began to think that her father was not an unpleasant man.

In the spring of 1038 AD, Lu Niannian took the initiative to kiss her father, who burst into tears.

In the autumn of 1038 AD, Lu Niannian, along with her mother, brother Gougou, and her father who had resigned from his official post and gone into seclusion, came to the beautiful Jiangnan region. There, they met Uncle Huo and Aunt Xiaohan, who had arrived earlier, as well as a beautiful older sister and an annoying younger brother.

The story has ended, but the churning continues~

Author's Note: I broke my finger trying to finish this... I'm bleeding from the effort... Thank you all so much for your support along the way... And then, I collapse and lie there like a corpse.